1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of refrigerators and, more particularly, to a specialty storage compartment incorporating a quick chill feature provided within a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the art of refrigerators, particularly household refrigerators, it is often desirable to create varying humidity and/or temperature storage zones to enhance the preservation of different food items. For instance, it is common to accommodate the storage requirements for certain food items, such as dairy products, meats, fruits and vegetables, by forming separately enclosed storage areas within a fresh food compartment. In most instances, these storage areas are designed to be maintained at temperatures which are different from the temperature of the remainder of the fresh food compartment.
In at least the case of fruits and vegetables, it is typically desirable to isolate these food items from direct contact with a flow of cooling air, especially any cold air flowing into the fresh food compartment from a freezer compartment of the refrigerator, mainly because this cold air can be fairly dry. Therefore, in order to isolate the fruits and vegetables from the desiccating effects of the cold air so as to maintain the moisture content of the fruits and vegetables, it has heretofore been proposed to provide a specialized storage receptacle, such as a crisper, within a refrigerator fresh food compartment. A crisper generally takes the form of a slidable bin which is sealed to maintain a relatively high humidity level, while the walls of the bin are chilled to establish a desirable temperature within the bin.
Many different food storage compartment designs have been proposed in the art in an attempt to establish and maintain effective humidity and temperature conditions within the compartment while attempting to avoid the development of condensation. However, there still exists a need for an improved control system for maintaining a desired humidity level, accurately regulating the temperature and minimizing the tendency for condensation within a specialty storage compartment provided in the fresh food compartment of a refrigerator.
The present invention is directed to a high performance refrigerator storage compartment system which is constructed to prevent the loss of humidity, provide an accurately controlled temperature environment and minimize the potential for condensation within a food storage receptacle. In accordance with the invention, the system includes an enclosure, which is mounted within a fresh food compartment of a refrigerator, and a food receptacle, preferably in the form of a bin or drawer, which is slidably mounted between a retracted position, wherein a food storage body portion of the receptacle is generally sealed within the enclosure, and an extended position, wherein the food receptacle is at least partially withdrawn from the enclosure to access the storage body.
In the most preferred form of the invention, a flow of cool air is developed through the use of a thermoelectric (TE) device and directed into the food receptacle. More specifically, the TE device employs hot and cold side heat sinks, hot and cold side fans, a TE module, a conductive block and a layer of insulation, to develop a flow of temperature controlled air which flows through the food receptacle to establish a uniform, accurate temperature for the food storage receptacle. At least one temperature sensor is preferably provided to sense the temperature in the enclosure for use in controlling the flow of cool air, in combination with controls provided at the front of the bin.
Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.